Character Descriptions

In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. - Mary Poppins

Note: Practice your British accents & practice spelling “super-calif-ragil-istic-

expial-lid-o-cious”

Mary Poppins

Jane and Michael Banks's new nanny. She is extraordinary and strange, neat and

tidy, delightfully vain yet particular, and sometimes a little frightening but always

exciting. She is practically perfect in every way and always means what she says.

Telling quote, “I didn’t say I was fair, I said I was practically perfect.”

Polished, clear soprano with strong mid-range

Vocal range top: C6

Vocal range bottom: Gb3

Songs: Practically Perfect, Jolly Holiday, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Playing the Game, Let’s Go Fly a Kite, Brimstone

and Treacle (Part 2), Step in Time, Anything Can Happen, A Spoonful of Sugar (Reprise)

Bert

The narrator of the story, is a good friend to Mary Poppins. An everyman, Bert has

many occupations, including hurdy-gurdy player, sidewalk artist and chimney sweep.

Bert watches over the children as well as the goings on in Cherry Tree Lane. He

has charm, speaks with a Cockney accent and is a song-and-dance man.

Expressive, comfortable baritone/tenor

Vocal range top: F#4

Vocal range bottom: B2

Songs: Prologue, All Me Own Work, Jolly Holiday, Winds Do Change,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, The Winds May Blow, Twists and Turns, Chim

Chim Cher-ee, Let’s Go Fly a Kite, Step in Time, Anything Can Happen

George Banks

The father to Jane and Michael Banks, is a banker to the very fiber of his being.

Demanding "precision and order" in his household, he is a pipe-and-slippers man

who doesn't have much to do with his children and believes that he had the perfect

upbringing by his nanny, the cruel Miss Andrew. His emotional armor, however,

conceals a sensitive soul. Need to see the contrast of his character change from

“precision and order” to his sensitive soul.

Older baritone, often sounds indignant

Vocal range top: Eb4

Vocal range bottom: Bb2

Songs: Cherry Tree Lane, Let’s Hope She Will Stay, A Man Has Dreams,

Good For Nothing/Being Mrs. Banks, Anything Can Happen

Winifred Banks

George's wife and Jane and Michael's mother. A former actress, she is loving

and distracted homemaker who is busy trying to live up to her husband's desire

to only associate with "the best people" as well as be the model wife and mother.

She suffers from the conflicting feelings that she's not up to the job of "being

Mrs. Banks," yet, she is, and more. She has great warmth and simplicity to her tone.

Warm yet passionate mezzo/alto

Vocal range top: D5

Vocal range bottom: A3

Songs: Cherry Tree Lane, Let’s Hope She Will Stay, A Spoonful of Sugar,

Good For Nothing/Being Mrs. Banks, Anything Can Happen

Jane

The high-spirited daughter of Mr. and Mr. Banks, is bright and precocious

(clever, mature, intelligent) but can be willful and inclined to snobbishness.

Unchanged voice

Vocal range top: F#5
Vocal range bottom: A3

Songs: Cherry Tree Lane, The Perfect Nanny, Practically Perfect, Jolly Holiday,

Let’s Hope She Will Stay, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Let’s go Fly a Kite, Step in Time, Anything

Can Happen

Michael

The cute and cheeky son of Mr. and Mrs. Banks. Excitable and naughty and quick

witted, he adores his father and tries to be like him. Both he and Jane misbehave

in order to get the attention of their parents.

Unchanged voice

Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: A3

Songs: Cherry Tree Lane, The Perfect Nanny, Practically Perfect, Jolly Holiday,

Let’s Hope She Will Stay, A Spoonful of Sugar, Feed the Birds,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Let’s go Fly a Kite, Step in Time, Anything

Can Happen

Katie Nanna

Jane and Michael’s nanny at the beginning of the show. Overwhelmed and upset,

she has absolutely had her fill of the Banks children.  

Non-singing role.

Policeman

A neighborhood fixture who is respected by and observant of households on his

beat.

Non-singing role

Miss Lark

The haughty next-door neighbor of the Banks family who treats her dog, Willoughby,

as if her were child.

Non-singing role

Admiral Boom

A retired Royal Navy man and neighbor of the Banks family. He speaks in Navy

jargon and a loud and booming voice and has a soft spot for his neighbor, Miss Lark.

Non-singing role

Mrs. Brill

The housekeeper and cook for the Banks family. Overworked and harrassed and a

loud character, she's always complaining that the house is understaffed. Her

intimidating exterior is a cover for the warmth underneath. Mrs. Brill doesn't have

a high opinion of nannies in general and Mary Poppins in particular.

Brassy, unsophisticated alto

Vocal range top: D#5

Vocal range bottom: F#3

Songs: Cherry Tree Lane, Anything Can Happen

Robertson Ay

The houseboy to the Banks family. Lazy, sleepy and grumbling, he never gets

things right and believes himself to be useless. A bit of slapstick comedy from this role.

Unsophisticated tenor

Vocal range top: G#4

Vocal range bottom: F3

Songs: Cherry Tree Lane, Spoonful of Sugar, Anything Can Happen

Park Keeper

Uniformed and officious, he makes sure no one breaks park regulations. His life is

defined by rules, but he longs for his childhood.

Baritone

Vocal range top: D4

Vocal range bottom: D3

Songs: Jolly Holiday, Let’s Go Fly a Kite

Neleus

The statue of a young boy posed with a dolphin in the park. Neleus was separated

from his father, Poseidon, and misses him very much. A small and lonely being, he

is very happy to befriend Jane and Michael.

Tenor

Vocal range top: F4

Vocal range bottom: D3

Songs: Jolly Holiday, Anything Can Happen

Queen Victoria

A statue in the park.

Ensemble Singing

Song: Jolly Holiday

Bank Chairman

The head of the bank where Mr. Banks is employed, is an Edwardian stuffed-shirt.

He can speak/sing his lines if necessary.

Baritone

Vocal range top: D4

Vocal range bottom: C3

Song: Precision and Order

Miss Smythe

The Bank Chairman's humorless secretary.

Ensemble singing

Song: Precision and Order

Von Hussler

A businessman seeking a loan from the bank for a shady business deal.

Baritone

Vocal range top: D4

Vocal range bottom: C3

Song: Precision and Order

John Northbrook

An honest business man seeking a loan to build a factory for his community.

Baritone

Vocal range top: D4

Vocal range bottom: C3

Song: Precision and Order

Bird Woman

Covered in a patchwork of old shawls, and her pockets are stuffed with bags of

crumbs for the birds. She tries to sell her crumbs for the birds. She tries to sell her

crumbs to passersby, who ignore her as if she doesn't exist.

Unsophisticated alto

Vocal range top: Db5

Vocal range bottom: Gb3

Song: Feed the Birds, Anything Can Happen

Mrs. Corry

Owns a magical gingerbread shop. She is a mysterious woman of great age who

is very eccentric.

Mezzo

Vocal range top: Eb5

Vocal range bottom: C4

Song: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Annie & Fannie

Mrs. Corry’s daughters. They help run the magical gingerbread shop.

Ensemble singing

Song: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Miss Andrew

George's overbearing and scary nanny. With her bottle of nasty-tasting brimstone

and treacle to keep naughty children in line, she is a bully who only knows one

way of doing things - her way.

Heavy soprano with strong belt

Vocal range top: F5

Vocal range bottom: Gb3

Song: Brimstone and Treacle

Ensemble

Songs: Feed the Birds, Anything Can Happen

Valentine

Tenor

Vocal range top: F4

Vocal range bottom: A2

Song: Playing the Game

Teddy Bear

Baritone

Vocal range top: Eb4

Vocal range bottom: F3

Song: Playing the Game

Doll

Alto

Vocal range top: C5

Vocal range bottom: C4

Song: Playing the Game

Mr. Punch

Song: Playing the Game

Toys

Song: Playing the Game

Chimney Sweeps

Song: Step in Time

Park Strollers and Statues

Song: Jolly Holiday

Kite Flyers

Song: Let’s go Fly a Kite

Bank Clerks

Song: Precision and Order

Mrs. Corry’s Customers

Song: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious